


Duchess Going on Foot

by DarkPhoenixGoddess10



Category: The Sunne in Splendour - Sharon Kay Penman, The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-06-26 01:41:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15653166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkPhoenixGoddess10/pseuds/DarkPhoenixGoddess10
Summary: Richard Duke of Gloucester wanted to wed Lady Anne Neville, but she was in a grave condition after falling from a horse. King Edward insisted that he will allow Richard to wed Anne under one condition - that if only Anne will walk to the altar on her wedding day.





	1. Chapter 1

It was the middle of the day. King Edward was preoccupied with his work. His wife Queen Elizabeth was with child again. This pregnancy had caused her much trouble, especially for her lower back. It was so bad that she had to be carried around by sedan chair. The King cared for his wife, but that didn't stop his philandering. His mistress Jane Shore was by his side, keeping him company. She was about to kiss him before they heard door knock. Immediately, Jane stood aside as a proper lady should.

The door opened and Richard Duke of Gloucester entered. 

"Dickon!" The King was delighted upon seeing his favorite brother's return. The two brothers embraced and laughed like they were boys. King Edward had Jane poured them two goblet of wines before dismissing her.

"The Scottish border?" The King asked.

"It was taken care of," Richard replied. "How's Lady Anne?"

"You are asking of her? But not of our mother?" The King laughed. "Dickon, if I were you, I'd seek another marriage."

"Lady Anne is still not well?"

Richard was referring to Anne's injuries. During the war with Lancastrians, Anne followed Margaret of Anjou and Edward of Lancaster. While Lancaster joined other soldiers in the battlefield, Anne stayed with Margaret of Anjou in a convent until it was surrounded by York soldiers. Anne tried to escape, but her horse was out of control and she was thrown off. The incident caused her grave injury to the point she couldn't walk. Richard had his own experience of falling off horses and he had anticipated that Anne would be recovered by now.

"No, Lady Anne cannot walk," King Edward told him. "She was taken care of by her nanny Alys. She is still staying with George and her sister."

"I can still wed her, Ned," Richard insisted.

"You will need heirs," King Edward reminded him. "How can she be your wife and duchess fulfilling her duties while being bedridden all the time? She could barely eat her meals without her nanny's assistance."

Richard was silent. 

"Dickon, you need to let her go," the King said slowly. "It is for your own good."

"I can't," Richard said. 

"George would not want you to wed her," the King said. "He of course has his own agenda. But if Lady Anne remain the way she is, George will have his reason not to release her from his ward."

"So Anne will be in George's hands forever?"

"I can give you blessing of marrying Lady Anne, but under one condition," King Edward said in a serious tone. "If Lady Anne can be on her feet again. She will have to walk down the altar on her own if you are to wed her."

* * *

At the Clarence manor, Anne was resting in bed and staring blankly at the ceiling. Alys opened the door and behind her was a maid with a loaf of bread and a bowl of soup.

"Time for your meal, my dear child," Alys said and helped Anne sitting up. Anne groaned when she sat up and Alys added more pillows for her.

"Pain?" She asked Anne, taking the bowl of soup and fed her.

"Yes," Anne replied. "It hurts so much."

"God will take care of you," Alys said genuinely. She fed Anne the bread after Anne finished the soup. 

"Are we to stay here forever?" Anne asked. She didn't like staying under the same roof with George.

"But where else can we go?" Alys asked. "With your condition, it's probably for the best. At least you have your sister."

"I feel like a prisoner," Anne said with a sigh.

"Here, you have your family, food, and you have me," Alys comforted her.

The maid watched as Alys fed and cared for Anne as if Anne were an infant. Quietly, she followed Alys and left Anne's chamber after Anne finished eating. She went on to finish her other duties before she was approached by a young man.

"His Grace the Duke like to see you," he said.

Assuming it was George Duke of Clarence, the maid followed him. But instead, she was taken to a chamber and the door was bolted. Before her were two men whom she never met before; both men were well dressed.

"You are taking care of Lady Anne?" One of them asked her.

"Yes," she nodded, not knowing what they were about.

A small bottle was handed to her.

"You know what to do," the man instructed. "And this is your reward."

She was given a pouch of gold coins. 

"And if you like to follow Lady Anne, you will be given a position."

* * *

 When the soup and bread were brought to her again, Anne wordlessly let Alys helping her to sit up. She had lost the count on number of meals she had for the day. In fact, she had too lost counts on number of days she came to stay with her sister. The injury preoccupied most of her mind. She was supposed to be Queen of England one day, but now she was virtually a prisoner.

A prisoner of her injury.

She did took notice of the soup, however. It was a larger bowl and she was very full.

"Alys, I can't finish it," she said. "You can finish the rest for me."

She laid down and turned to face the wall. 

"Anne," Alys was about to advise her to eat more, but then realized that the bowl was larger than the one she usually used. She like the smell of the soup, so she finished the rest. Anne was waiting for her to say more, but her eyelids became heavy. Within minutes, everything became dark. She didn't even hear Alys falling to the ground.

The maid opened the door gently and then made a gesture. 

A group of men came in and took Anne and Alys with them. The maid gathered their things and followed. 

She would rather work for the Duke of Gloucester who's in favor of the King.


	2. Chapter 2

Richard believed that he made the right choice by having Anne settled in the sanctuary. From his perspective, George was a disease himself. How could Anne be well under his care? George would want Anne to be ill and possibly die young without a marriage and heir so that he could claim all the Neville fortune. By taking Anne to the sanctuary, he had placed her in a healthier environment. He also paid the priest well and asked him to take good care of Anne. With everything arranged, Richard left London to join the battlefield again; this time, it was the French. 

By the time he returned, he had anticipated that Anne had recovered from her condition. However, to his shock and disappointment, Anne was still bedridden and couldn't walk.

"Why?" He asked the priest. "Isn't she well taken care of?"

The priest shook his head. "Lady Anne ate well but..." He gestured Richard to come with them. Together, the two went outside and the priest stopped before a small window. Richard looked inside and found Anne rested in bed. Her eyes were lack of sparks and she stared against the wall before she used her comb to draw another line on the wall, counting her days in the sanctuary as if it was a prison. A moment later, Alys entered her chamber with her food. Richard's eyes narrowed after seeing Alys feeding Anne as if she were a baby.

"You must not be angry with the Duke of Gloucester," Alys said to Anne. "He meant well."

"And I am an object he can place wherever he likes," Anne retorted.

"My child, listen to me, the Duke of Gloucester wants to wed you," Alys said. "It's very obvious. After marrying him, you'll be a royal duchess. As a royal duchess, you will never have to walk on foot again."

Anne's face softened upon hearing that. She buried her face in the pillows as Alys adjusted her covers.

Richard turned away. The priest said nothing.

"Had the physician been here?" Richard asked.

"Yes."

"And what did he say?"

"He said Lady Anne can walk again, _only_ if she wants to."

* * *

Richard left the sanctuary and returned with Francis and Rob.

Alys was on her way to Anne's chamber before Francis and Rob blocked her way.

"Francis! Rob! What are you doing?" Alys shrieked. "Lady Anne needs me!"

"You cannot go to her," Francis said. 

"Remove yourself from my sight!" Alys insisted, as if Francis was only a child.

"No, we are under Dickon's order to keep you away from Lady Anne."

A large woman, Alys charged at Francis only t be held back by Rob. The three wrestled until Francis and Rob pulled Alys into a separate chamber and locked the door. 

* * *

When the door was opened, Anne's eyes brightened. "Alys, where have you-"

But to her surprise, it wasn't Alys, but Richard.

A table was placed not far from her bed, and meals followed.

"Where's Alys?" Anne asked.

"Have you ate yet?" Richard asked her, ignoring her question.

"I need Alys," Anne insisted.

"No, you don't," Richard said coolly and sat. "The soup smells good."

"I can't eat without Alys."

"Or you can climb out of that bed of yours and sit with me."

Anne looked away. "You can eat if you want to."

"No, I am not going to eat unless you eat with me."

Anne turned to face the wall. She groaned as she felt pain. 

Richard watched and waited. 

"Alys is not coming back," he said slowly. 

* * *

One day went by and the meal remained on the table untouched. Richard sat and Anne was in bed; neither ate. The door opened and Alys came. Her eyes widened upon seeing Anne and the untouched meal.

"Anne!" She went to her. "Anne, it's Alys!"

"Alys!" Anne's eyes brightened. Helping her sitting up, Alys said, "Have you eaten yet, child?" 

Anne shook her head.

Alys went to the table and took the bowl of soup and spoon. "Let's eat."

She began to feed Anne until Francis and Rob stormed in. 

"You cannot be in here!" They pulled Alys away from Anne. 

"Don't touch me!" Alys yelled. "Let Lady Anne finish her meal!"

"We are under the orders of the Duke of Gloucester!" Francis said defiantly. "You are only to prepare the meals and no more!" 

Grabbing her by the arms, the two escorted her out of Anne's chamber. Richard and Anne were left alone.

"Are you going to help me?" Anne asked.

"Helping you what?" Richard asked. "Eating? If you want to eat, you have to come to the table and sit with me."

"I can't."

"Try."

Anne shook her heat. With tears in her eyes, she lied down and stared at the ceiling. 


End file.
